Keep pipes from freezing and bursting with these guidelines.
| Method | Best for | How to do it | |--------|----------|----------------| | | P-traps & accessible pipes | Boil water, slowly pour down drain. Wait 1 min, repeat. | | Hair dryer | Pipes under sinks/basements | Set to medium heat. Move constantly over frozen section. | | Heat lamp | Crawlspaces or long pipe runs | Position 12–18 inches away. Check every 10 min. | | Electric heating pad | Metal or thick plastic pipes | Wrap around pipe, set to low/medium. | | Space heater | Large frozen area | Place safely away from flammables. Increase room temp to 50°F+ for several hours. | frozen drain pipes what to do
Once you’ve identified the frozen drain, choose the method that best fits the location of the pipe. Keep pipes from freezing and bursting with these guidelines
Run hot water for 30 seconds. If no water comes out of the vent on the roof, but the sink backs up immediately, the freeze is likely near the fixture. | | Hair dryer | Pipes under sinks/basements
Once your pipes are flowing freely, take steps to ensure they don't freeze again during the next cold snap.